Skyler Ashfall
Skyler Ashfall is an Elder in the Midwestern Brotherhood of Steel, and commander of their forces in Colorado. Background The Ashfall Tribe rose in Kansas during the 22nd century, the descendants of those that had survived the Great War. Tribal legends, themselves distorted recollections actual history, claimed that they were named for the rain of ash that occurred in the aftermath of that conflict, one that was said to have blanketed the Earth. of Near the end of the century, they were incorporated into the nascent Midwestern Brotherhood of Steel as it expanded westwards from its home in the Chicago bunkers. Members of the Ashfall tribe would fight as part of the Brotherhood in their various campaigns, cumulating in their battles against the Calculator in Vault 0. Over the next century as the Brotherhood grew and transitioned from its early alliance of absorbed and conquered nations into something more permanent, many of the old tribal identities began to fade as members of different groups intermingled. The Ashfall tribe was one such group, with its boundaries blurring through intermarriage with other tribes and the original core Brotherhood members. Skyler's parents were one such case; her father was descended from the last leaders of the tribe, while her mother was a Brotherhood Knight. Skyler was indoctrinated into the Brotherhood from her birth in 2246, and practically raised to be a soldier. During her formative years she demonstrated a keen eye and excellent reflexes, and excelled at the practical side of her training. Perhaps just as importantly, she also proved to be disciplined and determined, fueled by a resolve not only to prove herself. but to also do the best for the Brotherhood. Upon her graduation she was assigned to the field under the command of Paladin Riley Kendall, the commander of a team active on the Nebraskan frontier. With much of the state outside of the Brotherhood's control and seen as little more then an lawless wasteland, the Brotherhood's presence was seen as a vital stabilizing influence on the region and a way to deter those that would prey on their people. These early days in the field would dramatically shape Skyler's outlook and personality in a number of different ways. Her eyes were opened to the true depths of human depravity and cruelty as she saw what raiders and other savages were capable of, as well as the lasting wounds they left on their victims, both physical and psychological. This experience would underscore her belief in the Brotherhood and its value, demonstrating how they bought order and safety to the wastelands while protecting their people. One incident in 2266 would stay with her for the rest of her life, in more ways than one. As a young Knight,she was a part of a squad sent to deal with a group of raiders that had been threatening outlying communities that the Brotherhood controlled. Her team had been expecting to find the after-effects of those attacks, but what they actually discovered was well beyond that. The Raiders had laid waste to several communities, slaughtering their inhabitants and carrying off whatever goods and supplies they felt might have any value to them. Their cruelty was wanton and savage, going far beyond what they needed simply to take what they wanted and bordering on the sadistic. Under the command of Paladin Walt Fergus, the team tracked the raiders back to their lair inside an otherwise abandoned small town. Momentarily throwing caution to the wind, the team descended on the raiders with a degree of determination and savagery that mirrored their own. In that moment, her team abandoned any thoughts of bringing their opponents to justice, and were instead driven by pure retribution. They killed every last one of the Raiders, including those that were unarmed or trying to surrender. During the battle, Skyler was wounded in combat with their leader, who slashed her face with a clawed gauntlet. The scars from that engagement would stay with her for the rest of her life, both physical and emotional. While they had been successful in eliminating the raiders, Skyler was disgusted with herself for the levels of savagery and brutality that she and her comrades had used in putting down the raiders. While they had been successful to the point where the regional Elder had commended them on their efforts, Skyler felt that such behavior was unbecoming of the Brotherhood. While she knew that theirs was a harsh and unforgiving world, she felt that they should be better than those they fought, to rise up above the savages and instead be a beacon of civilization. Promoted for her efforts, she was returned to duty, but now performed it with a new drive and cause. At every step, she strove to prove her point and be a better person, both as a soldier and an individual. As her team continued to patrol the Nebraskan wastes, she did her utmost to carry herself to these standards. In their frequent clashes against raiders, she would do her best to deal with them quickly and efficiently, not engaging in unnecessary violence or brutality. Those that were captured were treated fairly and honestly, regardless of their crimes. Despite her unconventional approach, Skyler was successful on the battlefield. Her actions won support among the people of the Nebraskan wastes, who saw her as a more open and honest face than the oft harsh and unforgiving one that the Midwestern Brotherhood often presented. This went a long way towards building support and bringing willing recruits into the Brotherhood's ranks, rather than the conscripts that so often made up their ranks. Even then, she did her best to ensure that those who were conscripted were treated better under her command. As a 'reward' for her unusual actions, Skyler was reassigned to Colorado, effectively the frontier of the Brotherhood's lands. This move was clearly aimed at sidelining her and keeping her away from causing trouble with the Brotherhood's leadership in the Chicago bunkers. None the less, Skyler took the move in her stride; while she recognized it for what it was, she also chose to make the most of her new situation to improve both her standing and the Brotherhood's. Skyler pushed for recon and exploration missions into the largely uncharted wilderness of the former state, seeking to learn more about the region and its people. While the Brotherhood had done enough to locate and deactivate Vault 0 during their war with the Calculator, much of the rest of the region was unknown to them. Contact with the tribals in the area suggested that much of the region was still primitive with very little in the way of organised or high-technology society. Even the former city of Denver was seen as too hazardous, being apparently a wasteland filled with wild tribals and dangerous animals. These expeditions served to expand the Brotherhood's knowledge of the area, even if they found very little in the way of the advanced technology or pre-war records that they so treasured. It did also help build alliances, with several tribes choosing to join the Brotherhood. As per her practices, Skyler did her best to take a light touch with the tribals, rather then trying to forcibly conquer of assimilate them. At other times, they cleared out nests of raiders or dangerous creatures, which helped win them some favor from their new allies. One of her other discoveries would become useful to the Brotherhood, even if its full value would not become apparent for years to come. Fort Newcastle was a pre-war US Army base that had survived the Great War and its aftermath with much of its facilities still relatively intact. Skyler claimed the facility for the Brotherhood to use as a forward staging base for future operations and exploration. In 2270, as a recognition for her efforts (even if begrudging), Skyler was promoted to Paladin, giving her much greater authority to do what she felt she needed. This move emboldened her, giving her a a greater drive to continue her work in integrating the people of Colorado into the Brotherhood and building what she saw as a better future. By this stage, she had accumulated a small but influential cadre of allies and supporters within the Colorado chapter. Skyler's life would undergo another considerable change in that year. During that time she met Bailey Lamchick, a Brotherhood soldier who was assigned to the Colorado frontier. The pair of them developed a relationship that blossomed into a full-blown romance, even if it developed slowly due to the couple's active lives. None the less, they continued to see each other as their relationship grew and deepened. In 2271, Skyler proposed to Bailey; the pair of them were married in June of that year. Their first child, Ellis, was born in 2273. However, other matters soon proved to be more pressing; as dedicated as Skyler was to her family, a greater threat was looming to the Brotherhood as a whole, not to mention the people of the Colorado region. While originating further south, Caesar's Legion had begun to expand northwards into Colorado. Reports told of a brutal, merciless force, built on entrenched torture, slavery, brutality and dehumanization of its own people, a theory that was soon supported by tales coming in from those fleeing their advance. In the Legion, Skyler saw a threat to the Brotherhood and the people it protected comparable to the Calculator. Skyler wanted to take the war to the Legion and crush them before they became too great a threat. Unfortunately, there was a lack of support for her cause; the Brotherhood was simply stretched too far and too thin to allow for a campaign on the scale she called for. However, she was not entirely without support for her cause. Several individuals, including the well-regarded Paladin Sara Redsky, agreed with Skyler that the Legion was a threat that needed to be dealt with. Building an alliance with Redsky and a group of other like-minded senior officers on the Colorado front, Skyler began making preparations for a potential war with the Legion. While they were not able to make large scale moves, she began stockpiling weapons and supplies in a number of places (such as Fort Newcastle) against a possible future armed conflict, Her promotion to Senior Paladin in 2280 aided this process, giving her even greater leeway to act. However, for all her planning, it was events entirely beyond her control that would see Skyler's planning pay off. An insurrection within the Legion's territory in 2281 saw the remnants of several conquered tribes rise up against their oppressors. In response, the Legion attempted to crush the uprising, but their heavy-handed tactics instead only served to fuel the resistance to their rule. The Brotherhood's leadership on the frontier became concerned that either the fighting would spill over into their lands, or that the Legion might lash out as a way of distracting from their own weaknesses. Using this threat as justification, and acting on recommendations from Paladin Redsky, Skyler presented her plan to the Colorado Brotherhood elders. They agreed with her assessment, and ordered her to create a force that would be used to reinforce their borders and head off a potential Legion assault. This unit, designated Task Force ILLYRIAN, was placed under the command of Paladin Redsky, with Skyler retaining overall control of the unit (including the very real implication that should it fail, she would be the one to answer for it). Unfortunately, ILLYRIAN proved to be troublesome from the outset. Shortages of supplies, a lack of large-unit experience and problematic members of the unit all proved to be obstacles that slowed the unit's combat-readiness. However, Skyler had faith in Paladin Redsky (who had been given an effective field promotion when she took command of the unit) and her ability to create an effective, functional command. While the unit's formative process was slow to the point of being painful, it did begin to gain coherence and effectiveness over the months. Unfortunately, time was not on the Brotherhood's side. While Paladin Redsky was managing the formation and training of the task force, Skyler had been keeping a firm finger on the pulse of the Colorado situation. The ending of the uprising in 2282 did not signal an end of the threat by any means. Instead, it became clear that, despite reported problems in the western reaches of its territory, the Legion were not willing to let this situation pass and had taken an overly aggressive stance towards not only ending the threat, but preventing anyone from taking advantage of it. Not only did the Legion send reinforcements to the region to make up for their losses, but they appointed a new commander to their front. Legate Nobilius Marcelius was painted as being a bullish and aggressive officer, one who was driven as much by his hatred of anything that was not the Legion as he was by his own personal inadequacies and failings. Skyler felt that with him on the front line, a conflict was inevitable and that the Brotherhood needed to be ready for anything. Personality Skyler Ashfall's life has been largely defined by her dedication and service to the Brotherhood of Steel. From an initiate on the front lines to her current position as the Elder in charge of the Colorado region, she has lived and breathed the Brotherhood for all her life. Her loyalty to the organisation is unquestioned, however, she also does not unquestioningly support everything it does. She is not afraid to question decisions if she sees them as being morally wrong, or putting personal agendas ahead of the Brotherhood as a whole. Skyler tries to maintain a moral option, as if to raise herself and by extension the Brotherhood above those around her. She deplores excessive brutality and violence, having witnessed it from both sides in her younger years in the field. She does not shy away from violence, however, but instead prefers to use it in directed, focused ways, eliminating the target or achieving the objective with the minimum of collateral damage and while avoiding excess. Appearance Skyler cuts an almost statuesque figure; tall (even if not exceptionally such) and powerfully built, she generally will dominate a room with her presence. She has deep ebony skin that is accentuated by her dark brown eyes and a mane of black hair that is worn in a long crown of dreadlocks. Her features are strikingly attractive, even if the combination of the environment and an active life has left its mark on her features. The most prominent of these are the trio of scars on her left cheek, a reminded of a foe she fought while young that marked her in more ways then one. Equipment As a Brotherhood Elder, Skyler in theory has access to whatever equipment she wants from the Brotherhood's armory. This includes not only access to personal equipment such as weapons and armor, but also resources such as vehicles and troops. Practically she is limited by what resources are at hand, as well as the simple functional needs of running the Colorado Chapter; she cannot just divert forces on a whim, and is not going to compromise other operations for her own pursuits. On a day-to-day basis, Skyler maintains a functional arsenal. She usually carries an advanced variant AER-9 Laser Rifle featuring improved capacitors and a beam focuser for greater accuracy and output. She also usually wears a Brotherhood uniform, overlaid with a set of pre-war Combat Armor. Finally, as a ranking Brotherhood officer, she has a Pip-Boy 2000 BE for use in managing her forces and resources. For those times when she needs to take to the field, even if they are limited, Skyler has access to a suit of Midwestern Brotherhood Power Armour. The suit is well-maintained, and she takes a certain pride in its appearance, given how symbolic it has become of the Brotherhood as a whole. When suited up, she typically carries a L30 Gatling Laser Cannon. Category:Brotherhood of Steel